Palm Springs Air Museum: Palm Springs, CA 08 Nov

Located in the scenic desert setting, the 86,000 square foot Palm Springs Air Museum has one of the world’s largest collection of flyable aircrafts from WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The museum houses over 59 vintage flying and static aircrafts. It was opened to the public in 1996, with the last hangar added in May, 2017.The exhibits are openly displayed where visitors can enjoy an interactive experience and gain a fresh perspective on what happened during the important wars the U.S. fought, most notably WWII.

The four hangars that make up the museum are organized by theme, with related exhibits lining the walls. The Pacific Hangar includes exhibits and aircraft used by the Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The European Hangar features exhibits and aircraft used by the Army in the European Theater during World War II, plus a T-33 training jet used in Korea and Vietnam. The smallest hangar contains the B-17 Flying Fortress and the Berger Youth Exploration Center with fun, interactive activities for young. The most recently added Hangar, Major General Kenneth P. Miles Hangar, houses the Cold War, Korea and Vietnam War aircraft and supporting exhibits.

The well trained volunteers at the museum offer explanations and answers to questions posed by visitors. A number of aircrafts are open for visitors to tour. There are also activities and displays geared for children. These include thekid-sized control tower and flying simulators.Amazingly, the museum still flies the Vintage Warbirds and visitors can book a flight for an additional fee.